This invention relates in general to gardening equipment and deals more specifically with apparatus used to supply liquid to hydroponic aggregate or to an ordinary garden box.
In hydroponics it is necessary to supply water, minerals, and nutrients to the special aggregate in which the plants are grown. This is typically done by applying to the aggregate a formula or chemical solution of water plus minerals, nutrients, and the like. In most small home grown hydroponic gardens, the nutrient solution is simply poured manually into the garden bed. This is not altogether desirable because the solution is not always supplied in sufficient quantity and at the time when it is particularly needed by the plants. The yield and condition of the plants suffers accordingly. Many of the same problems are involved with the watering of ordinary soil gardens and the application of liquid fertilizer thereto.
There have been automatic watering systems developed for large commercial gardens which apply water, liquid fertilizer, or nutrient solution more closely in accordance with the needs of the plants. This type of equipment requires pumps, valves, timers, and similar devices which make it so expensive as to be impractical for small gardens and often even for large scale gardening operations. There have been additional efforts made to devise automatic waterers that are more practical for use in small gardens. For the most part, however, this equipment has not been successful because of the costs involved in the specially constructed garden boxes, complex tubing arrangements, and other specialized components that are required.
Another problem with existing equipment of this type has been that the tubes frequently become clogged by the aggregate. In addition, provision is usually not made for the handling of excessive water, and outdoor gardening is thus virtually prohibited because of the exposure to heavy rainfall. Existing watering devices are further deficient in that they usually do not provide adequate aeration of the aggregate. Even in those that do provide for aeration, substantial portions of the aeration tubes are at times located below the liquid level so that they are susceptible to being stopped up by the solution. An additional problem has been to provide a convenient means for adjusting the amount of liquid delivered to the garden in order to accommodate varying absorption rates of different soils or aggregates. Typically, no such adjustment means is provided, or if it is, the garden bed must be torn up to effect the adjustment.
In view of the foregoing problems associated with existing equipment of this nature, a need remains for an economical system for supplying liquid in the proper quantity and at the proper time to the soil or aggregate contained in a garden box. It is the primary goal of the present invention to meet that need by providing apparatus that serves to supply nutrient solution to hydroponic aggregate or to supply water or liquid fertilizer to a garden box containing ordinary soil.
More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide improved gardening apparatus which acts automatically to supply the soil or aggregate in a garden box with liquid in adequate quantity. It is significant in this respect that the aggregate or soil is continually maintained in a saturated condition so as never to be lacking for nutrients or water.
Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which feeds the liquid by means of gravity so as to avoid any need for pumps or similar equipment and the associated power requirements.
Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which may be used with either indoor or outdoor gardens. The provision of a drain in the garden box is important in this respect because it assures that excessive water will be rapidly drained off even after heavy rainfall.
In conjunction with the preceding object, yet another significant feature of the invention is the inclusion of a drain tube which serves alternatively as a gauge that indicates the liquid level in the box.
A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which includes simple and reliable means for adjusting the level of the liquid that builds up in the garden box so as to accommodate the different soils or aggregates.
An additional object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described that includes reliable means for adequately aerating the aggregate or soil at all times. It is significant in this regard that the aeration tube is entirely above the liquid level so that the air flow is not interfered with by the liquid.
A still further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described that requires only a single garden box and a minimum amount of tubing.
Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which is equally useful with small, home grown gardens and with large scale commercial gardens.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described in which a substantially enclosed housing member is included so that aggregate or soil particles are not able to enter the housing and possibly clog the tubes.
Other and further objects of the invention together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.